Flooring systems

ABSTRACT

A FLOORING SYSTEM UTILIZING CONVENTIONAL TONGUE AND GROOVE WOOD FLOOR BOARDS, THE BOARDS BEING SUPPORTED ON TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED SPACED CHANNELS, METALLIC HOLDING CLIPS SECURING THE BOARDS IN BEARING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CHANNELS, THE BOARDS BEING FREE FROM ANY SPECIAL SLOTS FOR CLIP ENGAGEMENT, SPACED PORTIONS OF THE TONGUES ABOVE THE CHANNELS BEING REMOVED TO ACCOMMODATE CLIP ENGAGEMENT, THE CLIPS ENGAGING THE BOARDS IN A DRIVEN PENETRATING RELATION AND/OR A CLAMPING ACTION WHICH DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE TIGHT VERTICAL ENGAGEMENT OF THE TONGUES AND GROOVES NOR CAUSE SPLITTING OF TE BOARDS, THE CLIPS ENGAGING THE CHANNELS EACH HAVING A BODY PORTION VERTICALLY DISPOSED BETWEEN THE BAORDS AND HAVING AT THE UPPER MARGIN OF THE BODY PORTION A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING TOOTHED PORTION DRIVEN IN PENETRATING ENGAGEMENT INTO THE BOARD ALONG THE EDGE AT LOCATIONS ABOVE THE LOWER MARGIN OF THE TONGUE ON TE GONGUE SIDE OF THE BOARD, AND/OR A PENETRATING AND/OR CLAMPING PORTION ACTING IN THE GROOVE.

Jan. 12, 1971 R. E. OMHOLT FLOORING SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 31, 1968 //v VENTOI? RA y E. om/ou ATTORNEY Jan. 12,1971 R. E. OMHOLT 3,553,919

FLOORING SYSTEMS Filed Jan. '31, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

INVENTOR RAY.0MHOLT jfLbbQewwik ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 52483 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flooring system utilizing conventional tongue and groove wood floor boards, the boards being supported on transversely disposed spaced channels, metallic holding clips securing the boards in bearing engagement with the channels, the boards being free from any special slots for clip engagement, spaced portions of the tongues above the channels being removed to accommodate clip engagement, the clips engaging the boards in a driven penetrating relation and/or a clamping action which does not interfere with the tight vertical engagement of the tongues and grooves nor cause splitting of the boards, the clips engaging the channels each having a body portion vertically disposed between the boards and having at the upper margin of the body portion a horizontally extending toothed portion driven in penetrating engagement into the board along the edge at locations above the lower margin of the tongue on the tongue side of the board, and/or a penetrating and/or clamping portion acting in the groove.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 'Field of the invention This invention relates to the flooring systems and more particularly to wood flooring systems having Wooden floor boards secured to channels.

Description of the prior art Various systems for applying, mounting and securing floor boards upon a subflooring of concrete or the like have been proposed but these have had limitations based upon their construction and most of these did not adequately secure the boards in place.

Certain of the systems heretofore proposed required special cutting of the boards at the mill to provide longitudinal slots, grooves and the like for the retaining or holding members. This added appreciably to the cost of the components of the flooring and, accordingly, to the total cost of the installation.

It has heretofore been proposed to utilize, in a flooring system, conventional tongued and grooved floor boards with hold-down clips. Typical examples are those of Cherry, US. Pat. No. 2,057,135, Urbain, US. Pat. No. 2,046,593, Tonn, US. Pat. No. 1,986,030 and Wiegert et al., US. Pat. No. 2,469,252, employ clips which engage between the tongue and groove of floor boards or panels. None of the systems heretofore referred to has proven wholly satisfactory because of the necessity of oversize grooves to avoid splitting as well as other short comings.

In my prior application for Letters Patent for Flooring Systems, filed Mar. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 534,371 there is shown a flooring system employing clips but these clips grip the boards below the level of the tongues of the tongued and grooved edges of the boards which limits the number of penetrating prongs, the wood below said prongs and limits the utilization of the base and root of the groove.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a Wood flooring system is provided in which the wooden tongued and grooved boards are secured to channels carried by the foundation, the securing being effected by clips which engage the floor boards at locations above the channels, in one or both meeting board edges at levels which may correspond to the upper portions of the tongues for greatly enhanced holding. The clips may also have portions for restraining them from movement out of holding positions.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a flooring system utilizing conventional edge tongued and grooved floor boards in which the boards are effectively held in place without splitting or other damage to the floor boards and with greatly enhanced holding action.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flooring system utilizing conventional edge tongued and grooved floor boards and simple but elfective board penetrating holding clips therefor which retain the boards in place without damaging or disturbing the intended relationship of the floor boards to their supports, the tongues having small portions removed to accommodate the clips.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flooring system utilizing conventional edge tongued and grooved floor boards in which the tongue and groove holding clips therefor are engaged and held more strongly than heretofore in engagement while providing maximum available wearing depth.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flooring system in which tightly fitting edge tongued and grooved boards can be employed with enhanced holding action by clips in penetrating engagement with the edges of the floor boards.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flooring system in which, in the event of shrinkage, the clips do not loosen from the boards, the longitudinal shear retention of the clips in the floor boards reducing the tendency to longitudinal shrinkage.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flooring system having tongued and grooved floor boards and employing clips for retaining the floor boards in place, and in which a single type and size of clip is useful for a wide range of sizes and configuration of floor boards and with varying thicknesses below the groove.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flooring system of the character aforesaid which will be easy to install and in which the floor boards will be more effectively retained in place in use than heretofore.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flooring system in which clips are employed and the hold down power of the clips is not limited by the weakness of the wood in a cantilever position below weakening grooves or by the weakness of clips in a cantilever position.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a flooring system in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in perspective of a preferred form of clip employed in connection with the flooring system of the present invention and employed in the flooring system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing another preferred form of clip;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. of FIG. 4 in place;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. preferred form of clip;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. of FIG. 6 in place;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. other preferred form of clip; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. of FIG. 8 in place.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the severa1 views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will be noted that a supporting foundation or base 10, which may consist of a wood, concrete or other subfioor is provided upon which a plurality of channels 11 are secured in parallel relation and in level condition. The channels 11 can be secured as in my prior Pat. No. 3,031,725 but are preferably secured in place on the base by the use of explosively applied fasteners 14. A waterproof ing and vaporproofing coating 12 can be applied on the base 10 prior to securing the channels 11.

Each of the channels 11 has a web 13 with side marginal portions 15 extending upwardly from the web 13 and inwardly extending rims 16 extending toward each other from the upper ends of the marginal portions 15, the rims 16 being substantially parallel to the web 13. The rims 16 have upper faces 17 and lower faces 18.

The channels 11 are preferably formed to relatively close dimensional tolerances for enhancing their clip holding action. The channels 11 can be made of any desired material of adequate strength, and are preferably of mild steel with a heavy galvanizing or other coating to prevent rusting.

The floor boards 20 employed in connection with the flooring system of the present invention are of wood, which can be hardwood such as hard maple, or oak, or can be of softer wood, such as yellow pine.

The floor boards 20 are preferably of conventional type with flat top faces 21, longitudinal edge tongues 22 of any desired configuration with upper face 22a and lower face 22b with upper and lower vertical longitudinal edge faces 23 and 24 therealong. The floor boards 20 can be of conventional thickness, such as twenty five thirty seconds of an inch, thirty three thirty seconds of an inch, forty one thirty Seconds of an inch, and more, the present invention having been found particularly advantageous in the lower ranges of board thickness as enumerated above, and in which the wood available for gripping under the tongue 22 does not generate nearly as much holding power as can be achieved by using additional height on the tongue side as well as the space formerly occupied by the tongue in the groove.

The floor boards 20 on their edges opposite to those provided with the tongues 22 have longitudinal edge grooves 25 for the reception of the tongues 22 of adjoining boards 20, and preferably with a relatively snug fit, and floor boards 20 with normal manufacturing tolerances are suitable. The edge grooves 25 have root faces 25a upper faces 25b and lower faces 250. The floor boards 20 have upper and lower vertical side edge faces 3 showing the clip 2 showing another 3 showing the clip 2 showing still an- 3 showing the clip 26 and 27, respectively above and below the edge grooves 25, and have bottom faces 42 which may be provided with stress relieving grooves 29.

As is customary in this type of floor board 20, the lower faces 24 and 27 are respectively inset with respect to the upper faces 23 and 26 and the groove 25 is of greater depth than the horizontal transverse dimension of the tongue 22.

When the boards 20 are in place, with the tongue 22 extending into the grooves 25, the faces 23 and 26 are in engagement and the faces 24 and 27 are separated to provide a clearance therebetween.

In order to effect the present invention, a strip is severed from the tongues 22 centrally above the channels 11, leaving spaced transverse vertical faces 19 and a longitudinal vertical face 31 which may be in the same plane as the face 24. The bottom faces 42 of the floor boards 20 are held in engagement with the upper faces 17 of the channels 15 by clips 30. Each of the clips 30, as can be seen in FIG. 2, is preferably made from sheet metal, and of a thickness which preferably does not exceed the clearance between the lower edge faces 24 and 27 of the floor boards 20.

Each clip 30 has an upper horizontally extending flange portion 32 formed into one or more horizontal teeth 33, which penetrate the face 31 and extend horizontally into the board 20 and at locations which are just below the level of the upper face 22a of the tongue 22 and the upper face 26 of the edge groove 25.

The rounded ends of the teeth 33 penetrate the wood in gripping relation thereto with reduced tendency to splitting.

The clip 30 has a vertically downwardly extending body portion 34 from which an auxiliary tooth 35 may be struck out parallel to the teeth 33 and which also penetrates the face 31 and/or face 24 and extends into the board 20.

The body portion 34 of the clip 30 has notches 36 extending inwardly from its lower rounded side marginal edges 37 for holding engagement with the inner faces of the marginal portions 15, and marginal edges 37a in tight engagement with the lower faces 18 of the rims 16.

The body portion 34 to provide the notches 36, may have the metal thereof struck out in the opposite direction to provide horizontally disposed retention fingers 38 which engage the lower faces 250 of the edge grooves 25 and prevent displacement of the boards 20.

The body portion 34 at the bottom thereof preferably has horizontal oppositely extending feet 39 which support the clip 30 on the channel 11 prior to installation and aid in retaining the clip 30 upright for installation.

The body portions 34 are preferably dimensioned so as to have a tight overfit horizontally and vertically within the channels 11 and tightly at their side edges 37 and top edges 3711 with the interiors of the side margins 15 and rims 16 of the channels 11 and bind thereagainst.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the clip 30a there shown is similar to the clip 30' but opposite to the teeth 33 has a horizontal flange portion 40 with teeth 41 along its outer edge. The teeth 41 are rounded to enter the wood with reduced tendency to split the same. The flange portion 40 and teeth 41 extend along the upper face 25b of the groove 25 with the teeth 41 penetrating the board 20 at the root 25a of the groove 25.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings, the clip 3012 there shown is generally similar to the clip 30, with teeth 33, notches 36 and feet 39.

The clip 30b has extending from the upper margin of the body portion 34 an inclined wall portion 43 from which a groove root penetrating tooth 44 extends. The wall portion 43 has extending horizontally therefrom and back toward the body portion 34 a wall portion 45 which engages the lower face 25c of the groove 25 to retain the groove side of the board 20 in place.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the

clip 30c there shown is similar to the clip 30b except that in place of the angularly disposed wall portion 43 and horizontal Wall portion 45, a rounded wall 47 is provided with horizontal fiat portions 48 and 49 at the top and bottom and with a struck out tooth 50. The rounded wall 47 extends to or substantially to the root 25a of the groove 25 and the tooth penetrates the board 20 at the root 25a of the groove 25.

The mode of installation and of use will now be pointed out, reference being had first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The channels 11 are mounted on and secured on the base in spaced parallel relation. The spacing of the channels 11 can be varied as desired but a spacing on twelve inch centers is suitable for many installations. The floor boards are now successively secured on the channels 11 by the clips 30.

With a board 20 at the location desired and transversely to and firmly engaging on the faces 17 of the channels 11, the tongues 22 have strips cut therefrom between faces 19, above the channels 11. One suitable tool H for this purpose is shown in my application for Letters Patent for Floor Installation Tool, filed Jan. 31, 1968 Ser. No. 702,044.

The clips 30 are then successively inserted in the channels 11 and turned to point their teeth toward the longitudinal face 31. The clips 30 are successively driven into holding position to securely hold the board 20 with its bottom face 42 firmly engaged with the top faces 17 of the channel rims 16. The next board 20 is then brought so that its groove receives the tongue 22 of the board 20 which has just been secured in place and has its upper side face 26 engaged with the upper side faces 23 of the first mentioned board 20. The retaining fingers 38 engage the lower face 25c of the edge groove 25 advanced for securement. This next board 20 is then secured in place by the clips in the same manner as the first mentioned board.

The boards 20 are firmly held by the clips 30 against upward displacement and are supported on the channels 11 against downward displacement. The clips 30 also hold the boards 20 against undesired transversed movement across the channels 11 by their firmly gripped engagement with the channels 11 and by virtue of the teeth 33 in engagement in the boards 20 the body portion 34 adding strength to prevent undesired distortion during installation and during use.

The mode of application of the clips 30ashown in FKIGS. 4 and 5 is substantially the same as for the clips 30. It will be seen, however, that as a board 20 is brought with its edge groove 25 to engage with an edge tongue 22 of a board 20 which has been previously fastened in place on channels 11, and as it is moved to seated position the board 20 to be secured is driven onto the teeth 41 with the fingers 38 as before on the lower face 250. This latter board 20 is then secured in the manner previously described.

The clips 20b and 30c are applied in the manner indicated for the clips 30a except that the teeth 44 and penetrate the roots 25a of the edge grooves 25 at a lower level than the teeth 41. The wall 45 and the top and bottom flat portions 48 and 49 respectively engage the lower and upper faces 25a and 25b of the edge grooves 25 and further lock the boards 20 against relative vertical movement.

The use of the teeth 33 in engagement with the edges of the boards 20 above the lower margins of the edge tongues 22 has been ascertained to greatly enhance the holding action of the clips 30, 30a, 30b and 30c to an extent of three to four times the holding power previously available for clips, the clips acting in shear with any tendency to be drawn out by a cantilever action being substantially eliminated, especially when the root 25a is penetrated simultaneously.

It will accordingly be clear that the flooring system of the present invention can be be easily installed and is effective for carrying out the objects of the invention. tive for carrying out the objects of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. A flooring system employing conventional floor boards of the tongue and groove type comprising a plurality of spaced parallel channels each with a pair of rims having upper and lower faces,

a plurality of parallel floor boards of longitudinal edge tongue and groove type with the tongues in the grooves,

said boards being transversely disposed above said channels and having lower faces engaging the upper faces of said rims,

said boards having immediately below said tongues and grooves spaced vertical edge faces,

said boards above said channels and above said spaced vertical edge faces having portions of said tongues extending from the top to the bottom of the remaining tongue portions removed to provide a clip interacting space with access to the interiors of the grooves,

a plurality of spaced holding clips,

each of said clips having a vertically disposed body portion disposed between said boards above the level of the bottom of the groove with a horizontal portion extending therefrom into the tongue side of the board at the space provided by the removal of said tongue portion and in fiber penetrating relation at said tongue side of said board.

each of said clips at the lower part of said body portion :being in gripped engagement with the rims of the channel.

2. A flooring system as defined in claim 1 in which a holding portion is provided in fiber penetrating relation on the groove side of said boards.

3. A flooring system as defined in claim 1 in which a holding portion is provided in clamping relation on the groove side of said boards.

4. A flooring system as defined in claim 1 in which a holding portion is provided in clamping and fiber penetrating relation on the groove side of said boards.

5. A flooring system as defined in claim 1 in which said holding portion is in fiber penetrating relation to said boards at a plurality of levels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,030 1/1935 Tonn 52--595X 2,03 8,433 4/ 1936 Lawrence 525 12 2,057,135 10/ 1936 Cherry 52-492 2,200,649 5/ 1940 Wardle 52-512X 3,031,725 5/ 1962 Omholt 52480 JOHN MURTAGH, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. XR. 

